CAMBRIA, CALIF. It's the next Napa--only with beaches! Cambria, about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles along Highway 1, is an emerging hub for visitors who'd like to stop by a few of the newish 80-plus wineries (like award-winning Harmony Cellars, known for its Riesling and Chardonnay), visit art galleries (modern, folk, and seascapes), and relax on pebble beaches (don't worry, the elephant seals are there only in winter). "And it's only 6 miles from Hearst Castle," says Irvine, Calif.-based travel agent Tommie Imbernino. The "Big Sur Special" at rustic Cambria Pines Lodge offers one night (double occupancy), breakfast, and a tote bag with picnic blanket and $20 coupon for a deli lunch for $99 (cambriapineslodge.com); a standard room is regularly $159.

QINGHAI AND SICHUAN PROVINCES, CHINA. It's not too late to go Chinese. Big-city residents can usually get a visa in a week from the embassy (in D.C.) or general consulate. The fee is $50. Or you can pay about $100 to a company like mychinavisa.com. Now it is true that China, like New Orleans, is kinda hot in summer. But the 2-mile-high elevation of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in west central China keeps it cool enough for the yak butter sculptures of animals, people, and landscapes at the Ta Er Si monastery. Pagodas and pandas (at the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding) are among the attractions. A $2,199, 16-day package from windhorsetours.com departs at the end of July, highlighting local horse racing festivals. Airfare is extra.